2002 Z71 Restoration

[JoeliusZ28]

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Of all the things that have burned me on this project, this one takes the cake. Grinder sparks from cleaning up a spot weld 10? away etched/melted my back window like it was butter. I?m speechless. This is from about 20 seconds of grinding... These sparks barely even bother my skin when i get in their path. Theres no dust on the glass here, the spots are all etch marks and its no minor blemish in person

[MP81]

That's odd...shouldn't have affected glass like that.

[JoeliusZ28]

Apparently its common knowledge and I'm just living under a rock. Would have taken me 2 seconds to throw a towel over it, i just would have never guessed glass would be more sensitive than paint

[DynoDave]

Wow, I would not have thought of that either. If I know it at some point (welding class), I had forgotten. Sorry to see that.

[MP81]

Apparently its common knowledge and I'm just living under a rock. Would have taken me 2 seconds to throw a towel over it, i just would have never guessed glass would be more sensitive than paint

I mean, I'm an engineer and I wouldn't have expected that.

[JoeliusZ28]

AE241B48-84CA-4B7D-AF8B-EB33D8E2FAED.jpeg8B57DED1-17E3-45E1-BCBC-1DA225337135.jpeg079778E3-8072-46A7-AABE-07847D57CF43.jpeg50FEB08F-7BFF-4368-81E1-BC1A632A9394.jpegE25BA707-8ED4-4468-98E6-5B917DDEEE1E.jpeg42A72F55-B518-4D97-AE17-6D248233CD00.jpeg I?m in the home stretch... finally. Just got a few little things to get ready before it goes to the body shop for paint. Redoing the frame was a PITA. Way too many hours chiseling rust off this thing, but thankfully all the metal was all still solid, even the crossmember that typically rots. Along with the frame restore i did a new fuel pump, filter, filler neck, tank straps, dynomax 3? stainless exhaust, and a class 5 hitch. Also added some channel steel to give the hitch more to clamp on to.

[MP81]

Mmmmmm that is looking tasty! Getting real close now! Killer work man.

[Atrus]

I know where I am sending the '03 Yukon and '04 Suburban for some love this summer. What's your address?

[Lucky SOB]

Need a burnout video

[DynoDave]

Yeah, I have a '98 Suburban that could use some love!

[JoeliusZ28]

Need a burnout video

Tried attaching it here but there is a 4mb limit. iMessaged it to you

And if there is one thing I have concluded from this project, its that I'll no longer be working on anything newer than about 98 lol. Body panels are too thin, and frames are too boxed/enclosed to work on without a high end sandblasting setup.

Here it is with the bed back on. Fuel door and tailgate are back on too but it was dark. Basically just need to prep the front fenders and get the glue off the doors and then its off to Curt's shop.

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[MP81]

I'll no longer be working on anything newer than about 98 lol. Body panels are too thin

Oh just you wait. Those panels ain't shit compared to how thin sheetmetal is 20 years later.

Since everything is colossally massive, every panel is subject to weight reduction.

[TSTONE]

Really coming along nicely - congrats

[JoeliusZ28]

Oh just you wait. Those panels ain't shit compared to how thin sheetmetal is 20 years later.

Since everything is colossally massive, every panel is subject to weight reduction.

And thats part of the reason you won?t catch me paying 50k for a basic new pickup. No thanks.

[MP81]

Meh, it's cheap enough to replace. Given all the extra "styling" vehicles have these days, the extra creases and shapes are very helpful to making the panel just as strong as an older panel - especially if they use something other than mild steel.

But you use something other than mild steel, the price goes up, so...there's a reason shit costs more these days.